Category Archives: Mystery

When a high-end escort is discovered murdered in her plush waterside apartment, so begins the hunt for a serial killer known as The Crucifier due to the unusual slaying and positioning of his victims. In parallel there remains the need to locate a dangerous and elusive doomsday cult.

DCI William Chamberlain and DI Judd Stone have an acute thirst for justice on both accounts.

Stone is an ex-football hooligan turned cop. Riddled with guilt and anger, he is used to getting results – albeit somewhat unconventionally.

Chamberlain suffers from Multiple Sclerosis, but curiously, as his health deteriorates, his ability to perform acts of telekinesis increases. When faced with life or death, Chamberlain progresses from manipulating physical matter to controlling minds and sets in motion a dramatic chain of events. But why do things spiral out of control, placing an unknown high-profile target in danger?

Assistance comes from the most unlikely of sources but who is also working against the wheels of justice?

And just what is the connection between The Crucifier, the cult and the high-profile target?

With Spaghetti Western overtones, the chase from Liverpool to London and through both Birmingham UK and Alabama, finds both detectives having to confront their darkest demons in pursuit of the sweet taste of revenge.

Review:

3.5 stars

This is an excellently written crime novel, but for me it was a little too over detailed (police procedure, so that was expected to a certain degree) and some points are explained more than once.

My main issue is that there are too many story arcs happening within the novel. We have the serial killer, a cult, and then the story with Marlon Howell. I understand why all are included, but at times the book felt a little too cluttered.

The characterisation is excellent and although there’s a large cast, I never once got any of them confused with one another. This is a testament to Tracey’s writing ability and I will certainly read more books by this author.

This injection of paranormal felt a little displaced for me, and I often found it jarring to read. However, all loose ends were tied up very well at the end of the book.

It was an excellent read, but at just over 500 pages, it felt like, at times, I had been reading for forever. Yet, I never once wanted to put it to one side. It was just a little too ‘busy’ to be able to read in one or two sittings.

Sally Braddock’s serene lifestyle atop a mountain in Vail, Colorado, changes drastically each year when her three spoiled children and their spouses visit her – and her money – for Christmas. They live off their trust funds, which are disappearing quickly, and spend most of the holidays bickering and hitting up their mother for money.

This year, Sally makes an announcement that sends her children into a tizzy, an announcement so extreme that it pushes someone in the house to murder. The storm inside the house is matched by a raging blizzard outside, and the family finds themselves snowbound with a killer.

Thunder cracked and lightning lit up the room. She pulled the covers up to her neck, clutching the sheets. She lay still as a statue, paralyzed by the storm. Even with her entire family in the house, Sally felt afraid. The storm made the house feel so unnatural, so eerie.

Lying in bed, dreading the next bolt of lightning, Sally’s mind went immediately to the disaster of a dinner. I wish I hadn’t lost my temper, she thought regretfully. I wanted to break the news gently, not scream it at them. She remembered the shock and hurt in their faces and felt guilty. She needed to find some way of making peace, of calming everything down.

Another crack of lightning pierced the winter night, this one very close, and illuminated the room. Suddenly, she thought she saw the doorknob begin to turn. Then it stopped. Then it started again. Probably one of the kids, she decided, but the way it started, stopped, and then started again disturbed her.

“Is someone there?” she called out. The doorknob stopped turning, and she thought she heard footsteps scurrying away.

Judy Moore writes primarily mysteries and thrillers, as well as lighter family fiction. A longtime news writer, editor, and magazine feature writer, her fiction and nonfiction work has been published in numerous national publications. Her novels are published by BTGN publishers. A lifelong Florida resident, she is a former tennis pro and sports writer, so her stories sometimes have a sports backdrop. Her novel “Somebody Killed the Cart Girl” is a golf mystery, and her “Murder in Vail” is set on the ski slopes of Colorado. Her Christmas anthology “Christmas Interrupted,” contains three popular novellas: “Airport Christmas,” “The Holiday House Sitter,” and “The Hitchhiker on Christmas Eve.” An earlier novella, “Birds of Prey,” and her new novelette “Football Blues,” are also available on Amazon.

Once upon a time, there was a guy who got so fed up with life that he resorted to murder and mayhem just to feel alive.

Lorenzo Gambini is bored. So fucking bored. Most people either annoy him or avoid him, afraid to face him. Figuratively. Literally. With his face partially disfigured, scarred, he looks every bit the monster the stories make him out to be: the notorious menace they call Scar. They say he’s a sociopath. Maybe he’s a psychopath. Whatever path he’s on, people tend to stay far away from it.

Until one day, a young woman bumps right into him–a woman just as fed up with life, but for much different reasons. With a Scarlet Letter inked on her wrist and secrets buried deep in her soul, Morgan Myers is running from something… or maybe somebody. Lorenzo isn’t quite sure.

You can bet your ass he’s going to figure it out, though.

Considering how much I LOVED the Sempre books but wasn’t a huge fan of the Monster books, I kind of knew what to expect with this book – after all, Darhower writes the Mob so very well and the darkness to her main characters is what makes them so likeable. I expected fabulous dialogue, chemistry between the characters, and just the right amount of angst – well, I got all that, and more.

Mixed into what amounts to a dark romance book, is a mystery. Morgan (or Scarlet as she’s known as to Lorenzo) is on the run. She will literally do anything to stay away from whomever she’s hiding from. Lorenzo (Scar to those who fear and hate him) is running the show around New York, and there’s a little girl who has been taken away by her daddy. Told from alternating POVs, we get a story that not only steamy in all the right places, funny in others, but most of all, keeps you turning pages to find out what the hell is going on.

Lorenzo, in his ‘boss’ persona isn’t the most likeable character – let’s be real, the guy has a massive chip on his shoulder which has seriously earned it’s way there. But, there’s something about him. His men are loyal, and Morgan can’t seem to stay away from him. However, reading about him and how he interacts with his brother Leo, you see a completely different side to him. Put this with the Morgan who is desperate to stay alive, to the Morgan who fucks a cop who is supposed to help her because she NEEDS answers and you can feel the hurt behind her actions, shows how well rounded these characters are. They’re far from perfect, but their flaws and fears make them real.

As the story unravels, I couldn’t help but need to keep reading, flipping those pages. However, while some answers are answered, many aren’t because there is another book to follow. I NEED that, kinda like yesterday!

A gripping, suspenseful debut that will haunt you long after you have turned the final page…

Angie Chapman is only 13 when she gets lost in the woods in the middle of the night.

The next thing she knows she’s returned home, scars around her wrists and ankles, physically exhausted. Her parents collapse into tears when they see her, but Angie doesn’t understand – until they tell her she has been missing, presumed dead, for three years.

Angie doesn’t remember anything from her missing years. But there are people who do – people who could tell Angie every terrifying detail, if only they weren’t locked inside her mind.

With help, Angie begins to unravel the darkest secrets of her own past.

But does she really want to know the truth?

I finished this last night and after thinking about it, I dropped it from a 4* to a 3*. I’ll get to that later.

It took me a few chapters to really get into this book, but I’m glad I persevered. I admit, for the first few chapters it bugged me that this book was written in 3rd because I wanted to know more about how Angie was feeling and how she coped internally with her amnesia, but once the Alters began speaking, it made sense.

I have to admit, things like multiple personalities fascinates me because I don’t understand the science to it. The fact that the brain is able to do something like that to protect itself is amazing, however, here is why I dropped my rating.

While I know nothing (Call me Jon Snow), it felt that Coley had really over simplified the condition. Now, that is not a bad thing because this is a YA book. The way she explained it didn’t feel like a ton of medical jargon was being thrown at me.

I ADORED all of the alters – they really felt separate from Angie which made them feel all the more real.

Once the story got going, the pace was excellent – however, the ‘recovery’ for me was a little too fast. I don’t know how realistic this is, but for the sake of the book it worked.

Well worth a read, even if parts are a little predictable and you may have to suspend belief momentarily.

WEAPON OF CHOICE is an astounding collection of crime and mystery stories, suspenseful, ingenious and captivating, with original features that will lead your imagination on a wild adventure. 16 new worlds to explore, 16 mysteries to investigate, 16 new sets of characters to root for — who can ask for more? The perfect companion for a leisurely weekend away is at your fingertips. Add it to your kindle with one click now.

Due to mature content, situations and language, this collection is recommended for audiences 18+. All works in this box set have been professionally proofed by Paper Gold Publishing and RE Hargrave, unless this service was expressly refused by the author. Some stories are written in American, some in Canadian, and some in British English. The authors have chosen to stay true to their heritage.

Includes a mix of already released and never-before seen stories, all complete works. Those books which are part of a series can be enjoyed fully without the need to read the complete series (though there is a chance you might develop story-addiction issues—for that, we apologize).

What do you get when you take one dose of high-level gangsters, one dose of corrupted politicians, add to the cocktail a missing ship and then blend it with an unstoppable Russian journalist, an awesome hacker and a former elite soldier who’s become an alcoholic, fed-up, office rat?

You get Chasing the Storm!

Great characters, Exotic locations, a dash of Mystery, a tad of Romance and a lot of Thrilling high-octane action!

While in Hamburg, lawyer and former elite soldier, Torgrim Rygg, witnesses the assassination attempt on Marko Marin, a Russian journalist investigating the disappearance of a ship ostensibly carrying timber bound for Algiers. He gets drawn into a world of conspiracies, cover-ups and the relentless search for a missing ship. Disenchanted with his mundane office-life he agrees to help Mr. Marin, and together with Marin’s girlfriend, Lena, and their hacker, Sasha, he sets out on a journey to discover the truth about the missing ship.

Their truth seeking kicks off a series of life-threatening events and a relentless race against time to foil whoever is behind the disappearance of the ship, The Alpensturm. Their revelation puts not only their own lives at risk but the safety of the whole world …

It is 1988, and the band Bushmaster is on its 4th album and 2nd US tour. A bagpipe lament at sound check invades MacGrough’s head. He doesn’t know his second sight is trying to warn him. Hamish and Vincent started the band, Bushmaster, in college. Vince’s nastiness causes someone to exact the ultimate revenge, death.

Lori has already been burned by one man. Can she trust her Scottish keyboard playing husband to respect her career? Will their marriage survive Hamish’s suspicions and this last gig?

Hamish knows he coerced Lori into marrying him and isn’t sure how long she will stick around. His focus has been on keeping his wife happy and getting out of the band. When Vince is murdered, MacGrough must find answers. Lori’s secrets terrify him. Was Vince the man who broke her heart? Hamish must find the killer. But when he finds the murderer will he be forced to protect that person? In a race to discover the answer before the police, MacGrough has to use every resource he can, including the wife he fears may be a prime suspect.

An adult only trio of short fictional crimes stories of the dark underbelly of Alaska as only the locals ever get to see. Alaska – Land of high mountains, high prices, and high drama. The age old questions prevail regardless of location. How far would you go for those you care about? Do you like a good game – or even a bad one? Can you really do what you have to do?

The Las Vegas Mayoral race is heating up, and the incumbent doesn’t have a prayer. Wealthy real estate speculator, Nick Campenelli, who wants to legalize prostitution in Clark County, and former pastor Louis St. Louis, running on a ‘clean-up-Vegas-by-getting-rid-of-the-whores’ platform, are the front runners.

They’re also front runners on the suspect list for a string of murders. Kennedy O’Brien, a homicide detective with cop blood running in her veins, and her partner Wilder “Wild Thing” James, a veteran, are determined to find the man who’s murdering prostitutes who work the wrong side of the street, and they don’t care how important or politically active he is.

The killer is a man with a mission. He stalks the women before he kills them, leaving a “BEFORE” photo on their bodies, and sending an “AFTER” shot to the local news hound. Ed Hershey, an aging newscaster is determined to turn this story into a network gig, and his interference, along with the LVTVS legal team, are making Kennedy and Wilder look bad. Campenelli’s good looks and charm, and St. Louis’ vitriolic hatred of prostitutes are muddying the waters too, and now the killer seems to have taken a liking to Kennedy.

Would you recognize a serial killer if you talked to one every single day?

Starving artist Lia Anderson doesn’t. Neither do her friends at the Mount Airy Dog Park. But a violent death brings Detective Peter Dourson into the tight-knit group and he’s convinced someone is not who they seem. As his investigation uncovers secrets, a grieving Lia fights her growing attraction to the laid-back detective. Meanwhile, a killer lurks, desperate to stay ahead of the investigation-no matter who has to die.

If you like believable characters, a multi-layered plot, and a compelling sense of humor with your intrigue, pick up this can’t-put-down whodunit for a romp through the dog park with Lia and the gang.

Rebecca Stewart had never let things get personal with her students; a mistake that could cost her far more than a broken heart. Jason and his friends enjoyed tormenting teachers. When they set their sights on Miss Stewart, nothing would prevent them from bringing her down. Avoiding Jason’s advances and navigating an epic clash of wills, the young woman felt relieved to see graduation day finally arrive. Little did she know, it wouldn’t end there. Pregnant and alone, she could only keep her secrets for so long. After one of the boys is found murdered, the police haul her in, but she denies having done anything wrong. Can she convince them of the truth before all three of the young men fall victim to a killer, forcing her to raise her child alone? Find out in the action packed thriller…TEACH ME TO PREY.

The PBI (Paranormal Bureau of Investigation) agents are called in to investigate the mystery surrounding the disappearance of a commercial airplane. Their partnership with ABI (Alien Bureau of Investigation) division is designed to prove this tragedy was not done by supernatural or alien means. As they delve into the lives of the 214 missing passengers and crew members they will meet an ancient relative of the missing that will shed some light onto the case, just enough is uncovered to make another agency to get involved, one which will do anything to keep the secret behind the random disappearances hidden.

The very existence of the human race is on the line, and the team must make difficult decisions. They are forced to choose sides that could impact the present and the future.

Fang and Francesca, and Devon and Sarah continue to play their dangerous romantic dance, and a new player enters the equation. The team also uncovers a new break in the Hollister cold case.

What do you do when you no longer want something? You discard it, right? Which is exactly what happens when Keith gets tired of his wife. But there are signed contracts and someone hasn’t read the fine print.

28 year old writer, Vanessa Fortney, has travelled the world, living life to the fullest. When she comes home due to the unexpected death of her only blood relatives, she only has one regret; never finding a love that triumphs all others.

In a beautiful valley in the Rocky Mountains, Nessa finds herself wondering about a mysterious stranger who saved her after a nearly disastrous car accident. The mystery that surrounds Daniel is quickly replaced by the increasing attraction Nessa feels for him.

Will she find that love that transcends all love or will an unforeseen tragedy keep them apart?

It’s been one-hundred years since Watson died and Mycroft still doesn’t understand what Sherlock saw in having such a companion, but after so long alone and somehow still as young, he is starting to wonder what it might be like to have a disciple of his own.

Life for Amelia Jones is dull, she’s spent all her years writing about the adventures other people have, and then she meets the Holmes brothers. Can she persuade the most intelligent person in the world to trust her? And if she does, can she survive the danger that surrounds them?

When psychic antiques dealer Michael Sheridan buys a Victorian photo album in auction, he doesn’t expect to unearth a Pandora’s Box of lies, deceit, and revenge. As fate would have it, the villain looking to settle the 130-year-old vengeful score through murder is closer than he thinks.

With his father and best friends becoming involved, Michael has to stay a step ahead to keep them safe, a task more difficult now that the beauty in the Victorian photo is calling for help.

Love can come into your life in an instant, and leave just as quickly….

Jason Straiz is a New York detective working on a case to bring down a major crime lord. He keeps his life simple. Work. Family. Friends. Until he meets Selene.

Selene is a lawyer on a mission. Her goal is to bring down the monster that has been terrorizing her for years. When she meets Jason, the attraction is intense. When Jason comes to her aide after tragedy strikes, he becomes a target.

When her case and their relationship collide, will her secrets destroy a future they could have together? Can he handle the truth about her?

Traci: Cunning~determined to get what she wants, no matter who gets in the way

Aaron: Is he part of the crime circle or will he save the woman he loves?

After being divorced for several years, Julianna joins a book club she finds online to make new friends and to read a good book or two. Soon after, the leader of the book club convinces the women of the group into filming their dates so that the group can “critique” them with the pretense that it will improve their dating skills. Innocent “critiquing” soon turns into blackmail – and murder – and a few of the women are unwilling participants, unable to get out from under the leader’s web of deceit and sinister plans. They are now too deep into the crime spree to go to the police. Soon, a few of the women are fleeing for their lives.

Gavin Bloom and Alex Moore run an online magazine for an adult market; although each insists it has to be within the limits of not only the law but to their sense of decency. Gavin is on the edge of developing a revolutionary turn for that very magazine, a programme that will no doubt secure the business, maybe forever.

Amidst the excitement and enjoyment of its success, however, is the mysterious and heinous murder of one of their own.

Who can have done it? And why?

And who is the woman fastened by a chain to a wall?

Follow the twists and turns and perhaps you can solve the puzzle before they do.

Warning: some strong language, violence and moderate scenes of a sexual nature.

Hours before the opening of her career counseling practice, Gilda Greco discovers the dead body of golden girl Carrie Ann Godfrey, neatly arranged in the dumpster outside her office. Gilda’s life and budding career are stalled as Detective Carlo Fantin, her former high school crush, conducts the investigation.

When three more dead blondes turn up all brutally strangled and deposited near Gilda’s favorite haunts, she is pegged as a prime suspect for the murders. Frustrated by Carlo’s chilly detective persona and the mean girl antics of Carrie Ann’s meddling relatives, Gilda decides to launch her own investigation. She discovers a gaggle of suspects, among them a yoga instructor in need of anger management training, a lecherous photographer, and fourteen ex-boyfriends.

As the puzzle pieces fall into place, shocking revelations emerge, forcing Gilda to confront the envy and deceit she has long overlooked.

Carlo had removed his suit jacket and rolled up the sleeves of his light blue dress shirt. His tie lay on the desk. The rumpled look suited him to a tee. And his large black-rimmed glasses accentuated those unforgettable blue eyes. Bluer than blue. Sky blue. Cornflower blue. Robin’s egg blue. Years ago, Adele Martino and I had come up with thirty-seven descriptions of Carlo Fantin’s eyes when Mrs. Gillespie assigned one of her Monday morning English composition exercises. As I tried to recall the other thirty-three, I realized that Carlo was speaking to me.

“…he’ll be taking notes as well.”

Darn! Another officer in the room, and I had missed his name and more importantly, his title. Was he a detective or a constable? I’m sure Sofia would know. In the meantime, I better stop daydreaming and start listening. I nodded in the direction of the beefy officer. Dark hair. Dark eyes. Expertly trimmed moustache. A big bear of a man who reminded me of Magnum P.I.

Carlo cleared his throat. He was ready to get down to business. Police business. “It appears that Carrie Ann was your first client. You haven’t opened this office for business yet. How did that happen?”

My heart raced as I spoke. “After Sofia and my mother left…I’m not certain about the time…um…I…I heard a knock at the front window. I looked up and saw Carrie Ann. Hadn’t seen her in ages.” I paused and then added, “Still wearing the same pageboy hair style and that blonde color—”

I shrugged. “We just talked for a while, then, uh…” I closed my eyes and tried to recall the conversation. But nothing concrete came to mind, only Carrie Ann’s infectious laugh and bubbly compliments about the decorating scheme. When I opened my eyes, the other officer offered me a water bottle. I thanked him and gulped down half the contents.

“You scheduled her for a session tomorrow morning,” Carlo said as he held up my appointment book. “Carrie Ann is…was considered one of the best interior designers in town. Why would she need counseling from you?” His dark brows drew together in a suspicious frown. “Were you planning to tell her to give it up?”

✯✯✯✯✯Characters shine in this mysteryBy Jessica FI loved this book! LOVED IT! This is my type of mystery – not a lot of blood and gore, just enough suspense to keep me interested, but totally character driven. I felt like I knew this family. Ms. Guidoccio excels at painting a portrait of a family and by the end of the book, I felt as if I was joining them at the dinner table. Gilda was terrific as a leading lady and I love how Ms. Guidoccio creates really wonderful women in her books. I can’t wait to read more mysteries from this author.

✯✯✯✯✯Win a personal lottery with this bookBy Ashantay

Older heroines call to me, and Gilda answered. Ms. Guidoccio has written a fun romp of a story that is not only well-plotted, it has wonderful – and believable – characters. Reading this book is almost better than eating a homemade cannoli. Almost. I’m looking forward to the next Gilda adventure!

In 2008, Joanne took advantage of early retirement and decided to launch a second career that would tap into her creative side and utilize her well-honed organizational skills. Slowly, a writing practice emerged. Her articles and book reviews were published in newspapers, magazines, and online. When she tried her hand at fiction, she made reinvention a recurring theme in her novels and short stories. A member of Crime Writers of Canada, Sisters in Crime, and Romance Writers of America, Joanne writes paranormal romance, cozy mysteries, and inspirational literature from her home base of Guelph, Ontario.

BROKEN JAR OF MEMORIES

Author: Jamie Summer

Release Date: September 7th

Genre: Family Drama/Mystery

Blurb:

Family first. That’s Skylar Austin’s motto. So when her little sister goes missing, her whole world threatens to come crashing down in a single night. But then June is found and everything should be perfect, right?

Only it isn’t.

June doesn’t remember anything — not even the sister she had always admired. With the aid of the sisters’ memory jar, Skylar wants nothing more than to help June regain what she has lost. While her kidnapper is still out there wanting to finish what he started, the Austin family struggles to keep it together.

Some memories are buried for a reason. So what happens once they start to unravel? Will they keep the danger at bay – or bring it right to their door?

Jamie Summer is a native of Germany, where she lives with her husband and son. She’s a writer, blogger, avid reader, coffee and TV show addict and tries to be a dancer. When she’s not writing or watching one of her guilty pleasure shows, Jamie enjoys spending time in the sun, in the pool or anywhere near the water.

She’s currently working on her next book and wishes there were 48 hours to the day so she could do everything she sets her sights on.

Steve Wade is an ex-cop with an ex-wife and girlfriends he could never commit to. Now he’s a private investigator known for his knack in solving crimes.

This handsome private eye never has a problem finding customers. His newest case involves five frantic Mah Jongg players who are in search of one of their players who disappeared after meeting a man on an Internet dating site.

Wade is reluctant to take the case, believing it to be just another woman not wanting to be found. But the Mah Jongg players are insistent that Marilou did not vanish on her own. In the meantime, they organize a Valentine’s speed-dating gig inviting all the suspects who dated Marilou in an attempt to find her.

As he watches the dinner play out he begins to realize she may not have gone willingly when all the suspects are before him. He even hires his sometime drop-dead gorgeous girlfriend for the event to lure the culprit out into the open. Steve just hopes no one goes home with a potential killer.

Wade has to work fast as the case begins to unravel when lies and betrayal become evident and the truth of what happened to Marilou becomes clear. Will he be able to find the suspect before they choose another victim? This may be his biggest challenge yet.

Marilou Dickson was sitting at the bar, sixty miles away from Toronto on a Saturday night waiting for her date. The only problem was she didn’t know who he was. She got in touch with him on an online dating site and his picture looked great, even though he was much younger than her. A full head of dark hair, straight nose, large hazel eyes and great abs from a previous picture he sent her. She imagined his strong arms wrapped around her as he made love to her. She was tired of being alone as age and beauty were slowly taking its toll while drinking and smoking was becoming an obsession that a good man could help her control.

The noise in the bar was unbearable and she was dying for a cigarette. At least in the old days before cell phones and Internet, you could smoke. The place was packed with pretty girls in floozy outfits, some displaying unwanted flesh. Youth could get away with many things and the sleazier you got, the more attention from the men.

It was like that years ago before marriage and grown kids.

Her phone buzzed which made her spill her drink on her new gold cashmere sweater.

“Damn!” she said.

“May I buy you another drink?”

She looked up and there was her man, looking better in person.

“Hi!” she said tying not to slur her words.

“Let’s get out of here,” he whispered to her.

“What about my drink?”

“Let’s go to my place.” He smiled as his white teeth flashed at her.

She wanted to stay here and enjoy the bar and perhaps dance. She wasn’t ready to go to his place yet. She sighed and smiled up at him.

“Why don’t we just stay here?”

“You’ll get too drunk.”

She grinned at him, thrilled that he should be so concerned about her. Her phone buzzed again. She gave him a shrug.

“Sorry–I may as well answer this or I’ll never hear the end of it.”

She was going to tell him her friends were worried about her, warned her about going out with strangers–blah-blah. She decided not to say anything. She noticed that his hair was an unnatural black hue, almost like a wig. She wouldn’t care less if he was bald–didn’t men understand that? His glasses were tinted unable to really see the color of his eyes. Something in the pit of her stomach was telling her something was off. She answered her phone walking a distance away from him and the bar. He was watching her though, his look almost a leer. Perhaps it was because she was drunk that she thought this. Nevertheless she would not leave alone and go back into an empty house especially on a Saturday night.

“Marilou is that you?” Harriet said, her voice full of concern.

“What’s up, I’m in the middle of a date.”

“Just checking to see if you’re okay.”

“I’m fine really, you don’t have to worry.”

“Where are you?”

“Outside of Toronto.”

“What!”

“Harriet, I’m a big girl.”

She glanced over at him. He bought a drink and was sipping it rather quickly. He was watching her so she waved to him.

Steve Wade is an ex-cop and now private investigator. His reputation for solving crimes is growing.

His newest client is a man charged with a murder he says he did not commit. The convict’s sister has evidence that the person he supposedly murdered is alive and living somewhere in Shanghai after an old classmate of hers sees a double of the murdered victim while touring parts of Asia.

Is the murder victim, a woman, really alive and the man charged with her murder innocent?

Steve does not know what to think. Should he believe a convicted killer who was once a drug addict living on the streets? Steve however does not want an innocent man to spend the rest of his life in jail.

It’s a dilemma he must think through and to try to prove the convicted murderer’s innocence.

She had left her group and her husband in order to go to the Peace Hotel washroom which was one of or perhaps even the nicest washroom she had ever seen. Its decor was all black and white marble with gold faucets matching the gold chandeliers along the walls that lit the room. Each toilet had its own cubicle and a shiny black door. American style—no hole in the ground—to every tourist’s delight.

And that is when she saw her.

Connie stared at the woman beside her who was washing her face. A ghost from the past; a woman who was ostensibly dead four years ago. She blinked back at the woman a few times. She hadn’t seen her in over ten years. She had known her since childhood which was embedded forever as a memory.

And Connie Stern’s memory was exceptional. She was the type of person who never forgot a face.

The woman beside her was tall and slim. Her hair, once a shiny dark hue, was now peppered with gray. But those eyes were the same, an unusual dark green that glowed like emeralds. That was her trademark along with her natural beauty. She was the second child of a famous music producer from Toronto. His five beautiful daughters had lived in Rosedale, one of the wealthiest areas in Toronto. The youngest three were from another marriage, but they all lived together in harmony with the second wife, or so the story goes.

If that was Patricia Gold, she would be in her forties and the woman across from her was definitely that age. Her attractiveness was gone, though, after years of living on the street.

It had been a surprise in the community, to say the least, when she left her husband and children in search of drugs. Connie could not believe it when it happened. She had known Patricia well growing up and never saw a sign of it, of the unhappiness or the addiction to drugs. She did know, however, that Patricia wanted to be thinner so she could model. She glanced at her again. The woman glimpsed back at her briefly as she washed her hands.

Connie thought of Patricia’s husband, whom she knew in high school. He was popular and could pick any girl he wanted. When they married, she and Patricia were no longer friends which always happened in a big city. Different universities, new jobs, and location changes all caused people to make new friends. Nevertheless, they were the perfect couple, everyone thought. Connie always had fond memories of her.

Connie put her hands in the dryer, peering over at the woman again. She remembered one of the last times seeing her. It was years ago when she and her own husband were walking their kids in strollers when Patricia and her husband drove by and asked them for directions to the nearest park. Their children were sitting in the back seat, silently staring up at them. It was only Connie who had recognized them but said nothing as her husband rambled off the directions. Too much time had passed for either of them to say anything. Everyone looked different with age anyway. Still, she never forgot a face.

Another time, she had seen her at a bar midtown, around Yonge and Eglinton. Connie and two of her friends had decided to go out on the town without kids or spouses, like old times. She hated it though, missing her husband and children, and was just as happy to be home with them. Let the singles have the single life, she had thought. But she did see Patricia Gold there, all dressed up, looking lovely, holding a drink with another old friend who Connie also knew in high school. Her friend was a runner and to this day would be seen running down Avenue Road as if the devil was trying to catch up to her.

And that was the last time she saw Patricia, until now, that is, if it was her.

She held her breath. “Patricia?”

The woman looked up and turned to her with a frown.

“Patricia Gold, is that really you?”

The woman’s green eyes opened wide along with her mouth. She stared back for a second and then ran out of the washroom, leaving Connie staring back at the swinging door. Connie put her hands down on the white granite sink and wondered, of all things, if the sink was real gold, gold plated or just painted gold. The chandeliers flickered and her reflection staring back at her in the mirror looked flushed and confused. Did she see a ghost or was it a double? She did what the other woman did and rinsed her face. She was wrong—she had hoped—and shook her head trying to ignore what had just happened. She would continue her vacation and carry on as if nothing had happened.

Iris has always wanted to be a writer even before her six-year-old daughter would sneak downstairs and read aloud her stories on the computer as she would type away. Iris has proof of this in an out dated filing cabinet crammed with old manuscripts and short stories in big binders containing historical romance, mysteries, even fantasy.

When she is not working at her computer waiting for a story to come to life, she is busy dog walking, or organizing a game of Mah Jongg and of course reading.

Iris lives in Toronto, Canada with her husband. Her children live on their own and her parents are relieved to receive a text message from them now and then.

When Hannah’s house is burgled, she gains as much as she loses: she meets Jan, her reserved Dutch neighbour and successful antiques dealer, and Callum, the detective in charge of the case, then finds some hidden letters to her dead grandmother that take her on an emotional journey of discovery.

As Hannah juggles the attentions of the two men now firmly in her life, she works to uncover the secrets of the past, only to find these encroach on the present in unexpected ways.

And then there are the two men in her life, both vying for her attention, both hiding things from her and each other. What does Callum really know about Jan? What is Jan hiding from everyone? And what did her grandmother—whose house it once was—hide from the world?

As if Hannah doesn’t have enough mysteries to solve, her best friend Rachel enlists her help in solving her marital crisis, while her pleasure-seeking mother seems intent on finding her a husband.

With so many skeletons rattling the door of Hannah’s house, can she unravel these mysterious threads and reveal the truth, changing her life forever?

“Have you seen any more of your Good Samaritan neighbour?”

I caught the hint of sarcasm in his tone.

“No, but then, as you no doubt established, he probably has a better view of my house from his balcony than I do of his apartment.”

He raised an eyebrow and I’m sure I detected a fleeting spark of amusement in his light brown eyes. “The reason I ask is that I understand his auction house has a substantial art deco collection catalogued in the next public auction. If I’m right, that’s scheduled for next Wednesday. I thought he might have told you, in case you wanted to replace some of your stolen items.”

The sting hit like a double whammy. In the first place, hearing this from him, rather than Jan hurt, and the second pain—a more prolonged ache—was the guilt at not protecting my grandmother’s treasures better. I felt I’d lost a part of her that I wish I could have preserved. Replacing her material legacy was not high on my agenda, but no one seemed to understand that. The house felt that bit emptier without them, but replacing them with similar items would not make that any better. I needed the original items back, not copies. And that’s when it struck me.

Grandma’s stolen pieces were not the sort of items that were going to be melted down and made into a different form. They weren’t great works of art, but they were genuine collectors’ items that had value to someone in the art world. My grandmother had left them to us, to my mother, my sister and me with love. They belonged here, in Grandma’s house and that’s exactly where they should be returned. Now I had a mission, to hunt down my grandmother’s legacy item by item, and return everything to its rightful place.

………………….

I sat back in my seat, gave my upper lip a surreptitious swipe with my finger to make sure there was no froth on it, and looked into his friendly eyes.

“Perhaps I never really felt a sense of ownership to my grandmother’s belongings. The burglars didn’t take anything of mine—not that I have that much that would interest them anyway, or anything to which I have any great attachment. As you pointed out, they left a fairly valuable ring behind, so all they wanted was Grandma Elouise’s stuff. She had some lovely antiques and art deco pieces. I might never have bought them myself, but she left them in my custody when she left me her house, so it’s like I’ve let her down by allowing them to be stolen. And that’s what makes me angry. Does that make any sense to you at all?”

He sat watching me for quite a while, before picking up his cup and taking another swig of coffee. At last, he nodded. “Yes, I think so. But I also think a burglary invokes a kind of grieving process, and you’re still very much in the early stages of it.”

That made me laugh out loud. “I’m familiar with the stages of grieving. I deal with grief a lot in my line of work, remember. I’m not grieving; I’m just furious that some low-life broke into my house and stole my grandmother’s treasures. And I want to get them back. That’s all there is to it.” I knew anger was the second stage of the grieving process, but so what?

He smiled, not in the least offended by my outburst and asked in what sounded like a teasing voice, “And do you have an M.O.?”

I shrugged again. That’s not a habit I want to develop, since I’ve always considered it looks uncouth. “Not a definitive one, as yet. But I have a mother with the nose of a bloodhound, a friend who deals in antiques, another friend with contacts in the seedy criminal underbelly and a loss adjuster’s absolute best friend, the Internet.”

When he laughed, I couldn’t help noticing his good teeth. Nice and white and even. “So I’m your friendly neighbourhood copper now, am I?” he asked.

A former teacher, Lynette gave up her career in education a few years ago in order to focus on her writing and thus fulfil her childhood dream. She writes contemporary women’s fiction, usually involving romance with suspense or a supernatural twist. Her first novel was an award winning contemporary romance, ‘The Apple Tree’. Amongst her other titles are ‘Killing Jenna Crane’, a romantic thriller, ‘Shopping for Love’, a contemporary romance, and ‘The Nightclub’ a romance packed with suspense. ‘Cocktails and Lies’ is her first cozy mystery. You can find more details of her novels on her website.

Family first. That’s Skylar Austin’s motto. So when her little sister goes missing, her whole world threatens to come crashing down in a single night. But then June is found and everything should be perfect, right?

Only it isn’t.

June doesn’t remember anything — not even the sister she had always admired. With the aid of the sisters’ memory jar, Skylar wants nothing more than to help June regain what she has lost. While her kidnapper is still out there wanting to finish what he started, the Austin family struggles to keep it together.

Some memories are buried for a reason. So what happens once they start to unravel? Will they keep the danger at bay – or bring it right to their door?

Jamie Summer is a native of Germany, where she lives with her husband and son. She’s been writing fan fiction for decades with her best friend until her first novel made itself known in her head. Jamie wishes there were 48 hours to the day so she could do everything she sets her sights on.